


Walk Away

by Bizarra



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Light Angst, Post-Endgame, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25293187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bizarra/pseuds/Bizarra
Summary: Once Voyager reaches the Alpha Quadrant, Chakotay watches Kathryn Janeway walk away from him twice.
Relationships: Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway
Comments: 23
Kudos: 86





	Walk Away

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Trekflower for the beta and for the title as the one I had initially didn't work, once the story took a left turn into the Fluffy Zone. :)
> 
> Prompt used: “Am I supposed to watch you leave?”

After seven long years of wandering, of fighting for their lives, of becoming a tightly knit family, of gaining and losing dear friends; of hopes, fear, unrelenting terror, unfettered joy, and loneliness, Voyager was finally home. Really, honestly home. Tom had expertly landed the ship on the Presidio parade grounds at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, California. On Earth.

The more Kathryn thought about it, the more she had to pinch herself to believe it. She walked to the replicator, ordered her standard coffee, and turned to look out of the ready room viewports at the cityscape that was at once so familiar, yet changed so much. The Breen had really done a number on the City. She smiled lightly and took a draw from the hot liquid, feeling it trace sharply down her throat.

The door chimed, and she turned, “come in.” They slid open to reveal her soon-to-be ex-first officer. She was surprised to see him, having assumed he’d debarked with Seven. “Hi.” She bent and set the silver cup down on the low table. “I thought you’d left already.”

Chakotay stepped closer and gave her a smile. He waggled the PADD he held, “I was just finishing up the last of the crew evaluations in my office.” He ascended the few stairs to stand in front of her. His gaze lifted to the view behind her and he blew out a lengthy breath. “Still hard to believe I’m looking at the Golden Gate Bridge, and it’s real.”

Kathryn turned and nodded. She crossed her arms, “I know.” A comfortable silence settled over them as they watched San Francisco simply exist outside of the windows. “Thank you, Admiral.” Kathryn finally said into the quiet. She turned, grabbed the data device he held and smiled, “This calls for a bottle of champagne now that I can replicate any damned thing I want.” She tossed the PADD onto the table, “What do you say, Chakotay? One last toast—“ Her smile faded at the look on his face. That was when she remembered Seven, and that he probably had somewhere else to be. “I’m sorry. I assumed and I shouldn’t have done that.” She moved to the couch and sat, “I suppose you have plans with Sev… Sekaya.”

Chakotay let out a sigh and moved to sit at his usual spot on the curve of the couch. “I take it you know.”

Kathryn pursed her lips into a partially closed-mouth grin and nodded slightly. She propped her feet onto the table and lay her hands across her lap and regarded him patiently.

“How did you find out?”

“Admiral Janeway told me.”

He leaned back against the couch and looked at the ceiling. He rubbed his hands across his face and groaned tiredly. After a few moments he spoke, “I’m sorry you had to find out that way.”

“When were you going to tell me Chakotay?” She fiddled with her fingers, “or were you going to wait until you needed me to perform your wedding?” 

His gaze met hers, “I never would have put you in that position.”

Her feet dropped to the floor, and she sat straight, “Do you see anyone else on this ship who could have done that?” She gestured outward. “I am the only one who could have married you, Chakotay.”

“I would have spoken to Tuvok if it had come to that.” He told her, sitting forward himself, arms propped on his legs.

Kathryn leaned up almost imitating his stance, but lowered, letting her head drop nearly between her legs. “Second officers can only perform weddings if the parties getting married are the Commanding officer, and the First officer.” She turned to face him. “I checked.”

He blanched and whispered, “when?”

She huffed an unamused laugh and stood to move down the stairs. 

“Kathryn,” he rose, “you can’t say that, then expect me to watch you walk away.”

She turned on him, “Why not?” Her anger clawed to the surface. “After everything we’ve been through, after everything we’ve meant to each other, you were going to let me watch you walk away!”

He dropped back onto the couch, as the magnitude of it all hit him at once. “You never said a word.” He told her, chagrin in his voice.

She marched back to the couch and stopped, her eyes taking in his hunched form. “I always thought you were more perceptive than that.” She abruptly grabbed the PADD he had initially brought in off the table and turned to leave. She stopped at the top of the stairs without facing him and warned, “if you hurt her, I will never speak to you again,” before continuing on out to the deserted bridge.

—

The newly minted Admiral Janeway stood with Admiral Hayes as he droned on about something that she’d stopped paying attention to several minutes prior. Hirogen, she thought maybe he was prattling on about. She was nodding her head, attempting to appear interested. They’d been home nearly six months. Debriefs were finally over, charges had been appropriately dropped, field commissions were honored and promotions duly given. Poor eternal Ensign Kim had been promoted up two grades to a full Lieutenant and Kathryn was pleased as punch for him.

Now she was attending the welcome home gala that coincidentally was nothing more than a poorly disguised Admiral’s Ball. Suddenly, Kathryn realized her companion was silently watching her. She shook herself out of the reverie and back to the present with an apology. “I’m sorry, Jeremiah. Some days I think I left my mind in the Delta Quadrant.” She smiled and gave the man a polite pat on the upper arm. “I have to get used to not thinking of where the danger lies in an innocuous event.”

Admiral Hayes barked a laugh, “Kathryn dear, I always keep that in mind when I attend these damned parties.”

Kathryn laughed, then felt a quick tap on her bare shoulder and turned. Her breath caught, when she realised it was the last person she’d expected. “Do you mind if I borrow the Admiral for a moment?” She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed his voice until he spoke to Hayes.

The older man stepped back, “Of course, Captain.” He nodded to Kathryn, “Admiral Janeway, I think I will go enjoy more of that buffet.” With a lift of his glass, he ambled off, leaving Kathryn alone with Chakotay for the first time since their argument in her ready room, six months prior.

She turned to face him and noted with a slight lift of her brow that he, like she, had opted for formal civilian dress rather than the godawful Starfleet dress uniform. Damn, he was made to wear a tux. “Well, this makes for a change.” She opened with something benign.

“What makes for a change? Champagne?” He asked as he offered her a glass, with a not-so-subtle rake of his eyes over her. She didn't know why she’d let Phoebe con her into wearing a crimson off the shoulder mermaid-cut gown, but at this moment, she was glad she’d given in to her sister’s insistence. 

She took the glass with a nod and tipped it to her lips to take a sip. “Me calling you Captain.” She smiled when he did. “Congratulations. Have they assigned you anywhere yet?”

Chakotay shook his head as he led her toward a less crowded corner of the ballroom. “They gave me options, all of which I like, but the first thing I did was take the insisted upon six month leave. I thought I would go spend some time on Dorvan, it will give me a chance to think over my options carefully, to decide which is right for me.”

Kathryn smiled. “Sounds like things are lining up for you.” She glanced around, not seeing a certain statuesque blonde. “What does Seven think of your plans?”

He smirked, “direct as ever.” At the unamused lift of her brow, Chakotay sobered, “She’s spending time with her aunt,” He turned and gestured to a grouping of people among which their topic of conversation stood. “Beyond that, I haven’t the faintest idea. She’s not the woman I arrived with.”

“Oh?”

He could see her hackles rise and shrugged, “If you must know, Seven broke up with me. Bigger pond to swim in and all that.”

“Is she okay?” Kathryn asked, her concern for the young woman she’d mentored obvious.

“Is she okay?” Chakotay patted his chest, “What about me?” At the exasperated glare he grinned. “It was mutual. She wanted to explore her options, and I was okay with it. She knows my comms frequency if she has questions, but we've acknowledged the mistake, left it as friends, and put it behind us.”

Kathryn sharpened the glare, “You’re lucky I’m speaking to you right now.” 

His chin dipped, “You’re right. I shouldn’t be joking. I’m sorry.”

She chucked him on the shoulder and took another drink of the champagne. “Are you going to introduce me to this other woman you’ve brought?”

Chakotay bit back a hiss and swallowed the rest of the liquid in his glass. “I’m not sure I want to introduce you. If the two of you get together, I may not survive intact.”

Kathryn nearly balked, when he crouched, nearly resting his chin on her shoulder, turned her and pointed out a striking dark-haired woman with similar dimples and a familiar tattoo on her brow. Her gaze softened, “ah, Sekaya.” She glanced at his face, so temptingly close. “I haven’t forgiven you yet,” she reminded, just as much for herself as him.

Chakotay straightened quickly, having realized their proximity. “Sorry.” Then his mind registered the rest of the sentence. “Wait… yet?”

She crooked her lip in the half smile that usually meant trouble for him. “Can you get me another glass of champagne, Captain?”

She began to move, but paused when she felt his hand at her elbow, “Where are you going, he asks in trepidation?”

“I’m going to introduce myself to your sister.” She gently tugged out of his grip, “you may want to get yourself another glass.” She snickered and sauntered off, calling back, “or the bottle.”

“I’m a dead man.” He muttered as he watched her walk away.


End file.
